Telephone mechanism



Dec. 27, 1938. n c ET AL 2,141,785

TELEPHONE MEGHANI SM Filed June 6/1936 7 lNl/f/VTORS:

' (2km rma RNEYS.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE MECHANISM Application June 6, 1936, Serial No. 83,883 In Switzerland June 8, 1935 scribed which may be incorporated with charge I registering mechanism adapted to register at the local station the charge or toll for particular calls, and to transfer the charges between successive calls to a total charge register. The invention as to these features may be combined with a registering mechanism such as is shown and described in our copending application S. N. 46,229, filed Sept. 12, 1935, and in certain of its aspects the present invention may be regarded as an improvement upon the mechanism shown in our said copending application.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing, an electromagnet l (which may be the same as or similar to the electromagnet l in our copending application) is connected in circuit to receive timed current impulses from the exchange, or otherwise imposed. upon. the circuit to measure and register the time charge -for calls. The electromagnet may be connected in circuit to receive the same current impulses as the charge register at the telephone exchange. This electromagnet may be connected with the registering mechanism, in the manner shown and described in our said copending application, and the whole is enclosed within a sealed casing in a welldinown manner. The electromagnet E has apivotally mounted, rotatable armature 2, rotatively mounted on a support 3, a spring 4 acting on the armature against the attraction of the field. The armature 2 has connections to the registering mechanism to accumulate charges thereon, such as the pawl 5, ratchet wheel F2, and connected mechanism, shown in our copending application and omitted licrei'rom to" the sake of clearness. These connections may be direct to the armature, or they be operated shaft it, or otherwise. These connections to the registering mechanism are not interfered with by the mechanism of the Jresent invention. All the mechanism is usually enclosed in a sealed casing C.

In the accompanying drawing certain circuits of a local elephone station are shown diagrammatically and indicated. by reference character S, the mechanism and circuits so illustrated including impulse contact J of the dial-operated statioivcalling mechanism, which may be of known form so far as concerns the main features of the present invention. As embodied, a branch circuit it and I! is provided with spring contact members it and which normally close the circult between them, and thereby short-circuit the impulse contact J of the dial selector and prevent 8 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in charge or toll registering telephones, and more particularly to such improvements in mechanisms for controlling station selecting devices, such as are used with automatic exchanges, in connection with the operation of charge registering mechanism.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and'attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

The accompanying drawing, illustrating a present preferred embodiment of the invention, shows such embodiment diagrammatically for the sake of clearness, as in the commercial mechanism the parts of the present invention are so closely inter-related and interposed with the registering mechanism that it would be difficult to make a clear showing.

Objects of the invention are to provide means controlling local telephone stations so as to permit calling other stations only under control and by permission of a supervisory authority, usually a person responsible for the making or the collecting of tolls or charges; to provide in a mechm of the kind described means operating automatically to prevent the making of succeeding calls from a local station, such as a pay station, without separate authorizations and releases by the supervising authority; to provide such means for blocking the making of successive and un authorised calls which begins operating automatically as soon as the station called on an authorized call responds and during the ensuing conversation, and prevents further calls until the mechanism is again released by the supervisory authority; to effect the foregoing objects relating to making calls from a local station without affecting or interfering with the use of the station for receiving calls; to provide means of the character described especially adapted for local stations having dial-operated station-selecting means, such as are connected to automatic exchanges; to provide meansof the character decalls being made, that is, the dial selection of other stations, while at the same time permitting the use of the telephone to receive calls. In accordance with one feature of the invention, means are provided whereby a supervisory authority may release the local telephone S for the making of a single call, and as soon as the connection is established, that is the called telephone answers, the mechanism automatically prevents the making of additional calls, or dial station selections, without notification to. and a new release by the supervisor. As embodied, a pin I8 is fixed to and extends from armature 2 near one end thereof. An arm I9 is fixed on a shaft 20, and extends into the path of the pin I3, and when the armature 2 is rocked by the magnet I against the pull of the spring 4, the pin I8 rocks the arm I9 and the shaft 28.

Fixed on the shaft 20 is another arm 2I, having at its outer end a pin 22 which projects through, and fits loosely within, an elongated slot 23 in an arm 24. Arm 24 is mounted to rock about a pivotal support 25, and is impelled in clockwise direction by the spring 25, and is rocked against its spring in counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow A, when magnet I rocks the armature 2. A plate-like lever 30 is pivotally mounted at 3i and is impelled in counter-clockwise direction by a spring 32. A detent notch 33 on lever 24 engages beneath one end of lever 30, in a certain position of the mechanism, to hold the lever against the pull of its spring 32. Fixed to and projecting from the other end of lever 39 is a pin 34 of insulating material, the pin 34 being in engagement with the outer end of the spring terminal I2 of the circuit II), II. An indicating device 36 may be attached to the lever 35, and inscribed with a legend viewable through an opening in the casing.

The means for actuating the releasing mechanism, so as to permit calling of other stations, comprises a spring-mounted pin M, which is under the control of a proper authority, for instance, a person in charge of the telephone station. A lever arm 42 is pivotally mounted at 43, and has a contact plate 44 located in the path of the pin M, the lever being oppositely acted on by a spring 45. Fixed to and projecting from the other end of the lever arm 42 is a pin 46, adapted to contact with the edge 41 of the lever 30, when arm 42 is actuated by the projection of the pin I, and as the pin 45 rides over the edge 41, lever 35 is rocked in a clockwise direction, and pin 34 bends spring contact I 2, opening the circuit I 0, I I and putting the impulse contact J of the dial mechanism in circuit so that a call can be made. Connections are also preferably provided for transferring charges from the charge register to the total register, as by rocking shaft 51, in our copending application, from lever 42 of the present case, or otherwise.

The manner of operation of the described mechanism is substantially as follows:

Normally the contacts I2, I3 are in closedcircuit position, and the dial-operated selector J of the station S is short-circuited. When a call is authorized to be made from the station S, the controlling attendant actuates the pin M, which moves to the left, rocks lever arm 42 against its spring, and pin 46 rocks lever 30 in the clockwise direction into the position shown in the drawing. During this movement, the pin 34 moves to contact terminal I2, opens the circuit I0, II, and the dial-selector J is put in circuit any may be used for making a call. Detent 33 moves beneath the other end of lever 30 and holds the lever in the position shown. This holds the mechanism in station-selecting position for the person at the station S. Immediately upon the call being completed by taking off the receiver at the called station, the timed impulses are sent through the electromagnet I, and at each impulse the armature 2 is rocked against the action of its spring. Each time the armature 2 is reciprocated, the pin I 8 rocks the arm I9 and the arm 2|, and thereby the lever 24 is rocked in counter-clockwise direction, and detent 33 releases lever 30, which then moves in counter-clockwise direction under the pull of its spring 32, and as indicated by arrow B. This again closes the circuit at the spring contacts I2 and I3, and will prevent additional calls being made from the station S without further actua tion of the pin 4I by the supervising authority, while at the same time the already existing conversation is not interfered with.

Means are provided for releasing the mechanism independently of the precedingly described operating mechanism just described, as for instance when an authorized call is not completed, the making of a succeeding call may be prevented, if desired. At such time the mechanism is in the position of the drawing. In the embodied means, a pin 5| is provided, which may be actuable at the local station or from any central station. As shown, the pin BI is mounted in the casing C, enclosing the entire mechanism, and may have an external operating button 53. In the path of the pin Si is a contact plate 56, formed on a bent lever 57, pivoted at and acted on by spring 6|. At the end of the other arm of lever 51 is a pin 58 which projects into the path of an arm 59 formed on the lever 24. When pin Si is moved inwardly, it engages contact plate 56, rocks lever 51 against its spring GI, and pin 58 engages the arm 59 and rocks lever 24 in the counter-clockwise direction, releasing lever 30. Spring 32 rocks lever 30 in counter-clockwise direction, and the circuit is closed at the spring contacts I2, I3, and the dial-selector J is shortcircuited until again released by the actuation of the pin M by the supervisory authority.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What we claim is:

1. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a current impulse actuated device for operating said register, a telephone having a station selecting and calling device, means for short-circuiting said selecting and calling device, means for cutting out said short-circuiting means to render said selecting and calling device operative, and means automatically operated by said impulse actuated device for reestablishing said short-circuit as soon as the first call is completed.

2. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a current impulse actuated device for operating said register, a telephone having a station selecting and calling device, means for short-circuiting said selecting and calling device, means controlled by a supervisory authority for cutting out said short-circuit means to render said selecting and calling device operative, and means automatically operated by said impulse actuated device for reestablishing said short-circuit as soon as the first call is completed.

3. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a current impulse actuated device for operating said register, a telephone having a station selecting and calling device, means for short-circuiting said selecting and calling device, means for cutting out said short-circuiting means to render said selecting and calling device operative, and means operable at the calling telephone for reestablishing said short-circuit.

4. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a current impulse actuated device for operating said register, a telephone having a station selecting and calling device, means for short-circuiting said selecting and calling device, means for cutting out said short-circuiting means to render said selecting and calling device operative, and means operable manually by the user at the calling telephone for reestablishing said short circuit.

5. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a telephone having a station calling device, means for preventing operation of said calling device, means controlled by a supervisory authority for preventing operation of said call preventing device, and means called into operation by the called station replying for bringing said call preventing device again into operation.

6. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a telephone having a station calling device, means for shortcircuiting said calling device, means controlled by a supervisory authority for cutting out said short-circuit, and means operating automatically to reestablish the short-circuit by the called station replying.

'7. In a telephone mechanism having registering mechanism in combination a telephone having a station calling device, means for short-circuiting said calling device, current impulse actuated means controlled by a supervisory authority for cutting out said short-circuit, and means operating automatically to reestablish the shortcircuit by the called station replying.

8. In a telephone mechanism in combination a station calling and selecting device, means which normally short-circuits said calling and selecting device, means operated by supervising authority for cutting out the short-circuiting means to permit the calling and selecting device to be onerated, and means brought into operation by the called or selected station completing the call for again short-circuiting said calling and selecting device until said cutting out means is operated by supervising authority.

THEODORE DIETRICH. omt'sIME BOREL. 

